Ventura chat

[Flat booby]

Hello

 

Glad you are joining us. Sorry but the Scots won't have the ship to themselves on the 5 :) We are now flying from Manchester as we are fliting, looks like there are flights from all over the country on the 5.

 

I have a friend who is deaf and cruises all the time, she has to rely on her room mate for any info. I know my friend informs customer relations onboard, and they assign a crew member to check she has vacated her cabin during the drill.

 

My friend has never sailed with P&O and they may have a different set up to other lines I would contact P&O and put you specific queries to them.

 

Hi Elaine

Thanks for the Info about joining on 5th as well , wonder why they are doing 2 dates then not that I am complaining as it gives us time to see Barbados before we sail. I was told by P and O that we must let them know a few weeks before we sail so they can arrange for our cabin to have the equipment we need but my friend who is also deaf and went on the Queen Elizabeth this year said nothing was set for her and her deaf husband although she had sked them to arrange the equipment but she got rembursed after complaing to P and O but we:) would rather enjoy my holiday and have what we need than any money back.

[The Monocled Mutineer]

Dear Caspall,

 

I rarely buy the photographers offerings and I don't waste their time and mine posing for formal portraits.

 

I may buy an informal picture if it is particularly good or amusing.

 

The prices are ridiculous.

[CASPALL]

" rarely buy the photographers offerings and I don't waste their time and mine posing for formal portraits.

 

I may buy an informal picture if it is particularly good or amusing.

 

The prices are ridiculous"

 

 

 

A sensible man with the same opinions as myself!

Keep on writing.

 

Caryl

[retiredbrit]

If you don’t have a decent photo of you and your wife/partner/friend at home don’t discount the formal photographers. You have the opportunity to stand in front of a suitable backdrop in your glad rags, be correctly illuminated and see the results with absolutely no obligation to buy – which is more than you can do in the High Street photographers The usual price is around $20 on the American lines which is not a bad price considering how much you would pay for a similar thing at home. On every ship we have been on there has been a photo gallery with racks which is where you will see your photos – so you don’t have to ask to see them – but you can have a good laugh at your awful ones without upsetting the photographer

On the other hand the photos taken at embarkation, formal Dinner, meeting the Captain, going ashore and everywhere else etc are a pain in the whatsit!.

We usually politely decline the offers but sometimes it is impossible without making a fuss, in those circumstances stare fixedly at the camera until it’s over. We have never seen a good informal photograph of us

regards Alan

[K8T]

Sorry to but in on this thread, but personally I find all the photos a bit of a pain.

 

When I have been waiting to board in a crowded terminal and waiting in a queue for ages up the tunnel, the last thing I want is to be posed and photographed. Even worse to find the reason for the queue is purely because of the photographers!

 

Also when getting off the ship, to be asked to stand by a life ring with the ships name on and have another photo taken, is just a tad tacky for me.

 

Two funnies, on one cruise we took a couple of friends and whilst boarding the photographer loomed large and friend held his hand up, bowed his head and said 'sorry no photos please and blustered ahead'. It all looked very offical secret stuff and he wasn't bothered once more throughout the trip!

 

Also when you get the official photos against backdrops of ships and sunsets, just go along while the photographers have their break and take your own! Once someone had tilted the backdrop slightly, so the canvas of the ship lit at night (only a drawing), looked like it was going down! A great photo!

 

Having said that, it is an opportunity on a posh night to get a good photo of you both, or the family, without having the obligation of buying it. I always ask for soft focus!!!! :D

 

Kate

[LibraLass41]

I read a post on another site a few days ago when the person admitted to taking (stealing!!!) the photos, and she seemed quite proud of it!!! and she was a american police officer... her argument was 'well they through them out anyway!!' I know its easy to do, as quite often the photographic sales assistant is very busy, but I would never do that.... just imagine being caught - and perhaps being escourted of the ship and loosing your cruise - all for a few phots! MADNESS!

 

Sue

[MALKY]

Hello, I am new to this chat lark, so bear with me. I have just booked on the Ventura for March 13th 2009 for the transatlantic cruise. I am going with my wife, and we have booked a balcony cabin (the first time we have done this as it,s usually too expensive). This is our 3rd cruise, having done the Thomson Emerald in 1999 and Ocean Village (another transatlantic cruise) in 2006. We are doing transatlantic again, as it certainly saves having jet lag, as we had a bad experience coming back from Florida in the nineties.By the way, does coming back to Southampton mean you don,t have to worry about luggage allowance.:confused:

[Elaine0138]

Some nice new pics of Ventura been posted, nice to see her near completion

[LibraLass41]

Malky

Luggage allowance no promlem when coming back to Southampton, some pax i know take 7 cases!

 

You can bring alcohol on for cabin consumption too. We always have a balcony, and i take a winebox with tap of chardonny on a cruise, fits in the fridge, great for sitting on the balcony relaxing, late afternoon, pre-dinner.

 

Sue

[retiredbrit]

I take it this is a both way sea crossing.

If you are flying one way then I would have thought the airline / country restrictions apply.

If I remember on my last flight to USA for a Celebrity cruise we were allowed two cases per person, 50lb max each case. Much better than the 20 kilo per person we were allowed last Christmas.

 

regards Alan

[feebee_71]

Hello, I am new to this chat lark, so bear with me. I have just booked on the Ventura for March 13th 2009 for the transatlantic cruise. I am going with my wife, and we have booked a balcony cabin (the first time we have done this as it,s usually too expensive). This is our 3rd cruise, having done the Thomson Emerald in 1999 and Ocean Village (another transatlantic cruise) in 2006. We are doing transatlantic again, as it certainly saves having jet lag, as we had a bad experience coming back from Florida in the nineties.By the way, does coming back to Southampton mean you don,t have to worry about luggage allowance.:confused:

 

Malky,

 

As you are doing the repositioning cruise from the Caribbean to Southampton you will unfortunately be restricted to the luggage allowances as dictated by the airline providing the charter flight to P&O (I think it is about 25kg per person).

 

Consider this as an option though - once you have arrived in Barbados to board Ventura you will have 24+ hours until you depart for your cruise and would be able to take advantage of visiting the local shops to stock up on provisions - good if you are someone who doesn't rely on a certain brand of anti-perspirant or shampoo. Remember too that the ship provides Moulton Brown shower gel in all cabins.

 

If you want specific brands of suntan lotion and associated products you can buy some Piz Buin, Reimann P20 and Mailbou products onboard for similar prices to those charged by Boots in the UK. Otherwise, again, you can buy products in Barbados.

 

For recommendations of where to shop seek out one of the British staff onboard (Entertainment officers or similar) and ask them where they buy the sort of items you are interested in - after all they will have been travelling round the Caribbean with Barbados as their base for the best part of 6 months and will have worked out the places to shop and brands to buy.

 

Have a wonderful cruise. I am already looking forward to doing the Artemis relocation cruise from Jamaica to Southampton in March 2009.

 

Feebee_71

[MALKY]

Thanks for the replies. It is the relocation cruise, so i realised that the outwards journey allowance will be 20/25 kgs, but i was not sure about disembarking at southampton. We can now load up with booze - hic ! ;) Malky

[BrianI]

....allowance will be 20/25 kgs,........... ;) Malky

The allowance on P&O charter flights is normally 25Kg plus 5kg hand luggage so total of 30Kg.

Brian

[Azafran]

Hi All,

I am booked for May 30th 2008!

seems like forever away but am really excited.

Might learn to tight rope walk!!!:D

Lou

Hi Lou

 

Booked on same cruise, never sailed with p&o before, let alone from Southampton, hope the Bay Of Biscay is calm for us!!

[LibraLass41]

We sailed over Bay 12-24th May and it was very good, where you going?

 

Sue

[Azafran]

We sailed over Bay 12-24th May and it was very good, where you going?

 

Sue

All the usual med stops, Vigo, Lisbon, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome etc, last stop is Gibraltar. We have been to most of these places before on a RC cruise about 4 years ago, but we think just floating around on the ship is all part of the holiday, the ports of call are a bonus.

 

Have booked on the Grand Princess in Oct also for the Greek Islands, many ports we havn't been to, so really looking to that one also.

[melisbest]

Hi

Were on the Ventura to the Baltics on 20 June 2008 .Is anyone else on the same cruise ?

[loobylouuk]

Hi Lou

 

Booked on same cruise, never sailed with p&o before, let alone from Southampton, hope the Bay Of Biscay is calm for us!!

 

 

hi azafran, kate(k8t) and i were beginning to think we had ventura to ourselves!!.... you will not be disappointed i'm sure.

Sailing from Soton is a big bonus. We live close by so we can leave home go through check in and be on holiday in an hour! pure bliss, it beats the Gatwick option any day.

You should join the roll call forum on this site.

Lou

[K8T]

hi azafran, kate(k8t) and i were beginning to think we had ventura to ourselves!!.... you will not be disappointed i'm sure.

Sailing from Soton is a big bonus. We live close by so we can leave home go through check in and be on holiday in an hour! pure bliss, it beats the Gatwick option any day.

You should join the roll call forum on this site.

Lou

 

Wow so three couples are going now! Still plenty of space!

 

We have done RC in the past and P& O compare well, if not a little nicer. The stops are a bit routine, but I agree, it doesn't matter too much where you stop, its the holiday that counts and of course the company!!!!:p

 

Kate

[Beckyfaye-2008]

Juden2307 said:

"I want to check if there are any photo's anywhere of the aft cabin I am in (C749)."

 

If you go to the Ventura website ( http://www.virtualventura.co.uk ), click on 'Views from the Shipyard', then 'Image Gallery 4'. If you look through those images you'll see one of Ventura's stern (under contruction) and you ought to be able to work out which in C749 actually is.

 

I think it's right-centre on the middle deck you can see with the cabins. I think the top-deck that we can see that runs across the stern is the Riviera deck, where the pool is (hence no cabins); then there's A deck with 4 suites; then B deck with 10 outside balcony cabins; then C deck with 4 suites again; then D & E decks, with fewer cabins (at least, passenger cabins); and then there's the Promenade deck which is clearly visible in the image.

 

But it looks good - I'm quite jealous!

 

If you want to see one of the latest pictures of Ventura Log onto a site called ship spotting, enter the name Ventura and it will show you 2 pictures of the ship just before completion, I have one of them as my background picture on my PC, it looks great.

Will also be on the Cruise on 10th Oct 2008.

[tom_uk]

Beckyfaye said:

If you want to see one of the latest pictures of Ventura Log onto a site called ship spotting, enter the name Ventura and it will show you 2 pictures of the ship just before completion, I have one of them as my background picture on my PC, it looks great.

Will also be on the Cruise on 10th Oct 2008.

 

Thanks for the link - I have now had a look.

 

It's now mid-March - it can't be too long before she's completely finished. That first cruise - the weekender - is 4 weeks from today.

[Airliebird]

Can anyone enlighten me on the parking options at Southampton?

We're booked to go on the Ventura on the 11/04/08...........I know about the valet parking by P&O themselves, but wondered if there were other options.

Thanks in anticipation.

[LibraLass41]

CPS carparking (the p&o car parks) are next to the ship and really are very efficient and reasonably priced, if you went anywhere else you would have to get a taxi to the dock gate area anyway.

Some people stay the night before in a hotel which offers free 2wk parking in the price, but that ends up being over £100 +.

 

We have used CPS four times in the last 2 years and have booked 2 more future cruises with them its so easy, go to main pando site, 'not found what you are looking for' at bottom of page / carparking, and you are routed to their site, key in your cruise number and get a quote so you know what price it is and then decide.... we just go ahead and book.

They then send you paperwork, a car sticker and a key fob. Very efficient

 

Sue

[Host Sharon]

Hot off the press- the views of someone who has seen over Ventura - no wardrobe doors - you pass through the dressing area with hanging rails either side on your way into the cabin. The children's pool is quite samll and raised up from the deck.

[The Monocled Mutineer]

The "walk-in" wardrobes sound like those on the previous incarnation of Arcadia (now OV2). It was one of the few features on the old Arcadia that I liked.